Like all other specific phobias, the fear of silence is usually caused by a traumatic or negative episode in the phobic's life. Some phobics, for example might have been locked up or abused by an adult,(some having been kept in basements or closets for punishment where no outside sound reaches them).
At a primal level, the uncertainty of silence feels like rejection, and the fear of rejection leads people to panic. This is why when you feel safe and comfortable around someone, silence doesn't trigger the same fear response — it's not awkward. Being silent while with a loved one can feel incredibly comforting.
Silence is scary not just because it's unfamiliar, but also because it opens the door to a whole bunch of thoughts, sensations, and emotions that noise keeps at bay.
Silence can mean many things in interpersonal relationships. It's ambiguous. It can express lots of different emotions ranging from joy, happiness, grief, embarrassment to anger, denial, fear, withdrawal of acceptance or love. What it means depends on the context.
“In social settings, people sometimes feel the need to keep on talking to artificially keep the conversation going. Some people fear the break in conversation will reflect negatively on them. This could be due to having low self-esteem or a negative personal image of themselves.”
The silent treatment, or stonewalling, is a passive-aggressive form of manipulation and can be considered emotional abuse. It is a way to control another person by withholding communication, refusing to talk, or ignoring the person.
Most psychologists indicate that it depends on the situation. When silence, or, rather, the refusal to engage in a conversation, is used as a control tactic to exert power in a relationship, then it becomes "the silent treatment," which is toxic, unhealthy, and abusive.
With all of the constant noise you hear on a day-to-day basis, embracing silence can help stimulate your brain and help you process information. It can also help you become more self-aware and relieve stress. Embracing silence may also help you settle into the present moment and quiet any racing thoughts.
“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
The silent treatment is a particularly insidious form of abuse because it might force the victim to reconcile with the perpetrator in an effort to end the behavior, even if the victim doesn't know why they're apologizing. “It's especially controlling because it deprives both sides from weighing in,” Williams said.
Silence Can Be Intimidating and Revealing Without Being Forceful. Perhaps the anticipation created through silence is so powerful, even our naval forces have tapped into the hidden potential of silence and have developed a weapon to stop people from talking.
According to psychologists, there may be a reason you need the noise. For DISTRACTION. Clinical Psychologist, Jenna Carl, said “Background noise may be used in an attempt to distract from or avoid unpleasant emotions and thoughts.” You could be using music or noise as a coping skill.
Also known as autophobia, isolophobia, or eremophobia, monophobia is the fear of being isolated, lonely, or alone. As a phobia, this fear isn't necessarily a realistic one.
Fear Of Silence (sedatephobia)
Research has found that people who received the silent treatment experienced a threat to their needs of belonging, self-esteem, control, and meaningful existence. This type of behavior reinforces the feeling that someone we care about wants nothing to do with us. It can feel as though you don't exist.
1) It prolongs your suffering. You are less likely to get the help you need if you withhold vital information, such as symptoms or concerns. 2) It reinforces your symptoms. Resistance creates persistence.
Three major forms of silence are defined: Psycholinguistic Silence, of which there are two subtypes, designated Fast- time silence and Slow-time silence; Interactive Silence; and Sociocultural Silence.
In the same way that noise can cause tension and stress, silence releases tension from the brain. According to research, sitting in silence for about two minutes can be more beneficial than listening to 'relaxing music' because of the way it changes blood circulation and pressure in the brain.
Silence is not a sign of Weakness, it is a Strength.
Along with excuses, silence acts in a negative manner for many reasons; it is obvious that it makes the employee feel awkward. Silence can also be used as manipulative power play as well as a means of intimidation which can lead to a multitude of other negativities such as irrelevancies and misconception.
Silent treatment abuse is a form of emotional abuse in which a person refuses to communicate with you in order to control or influence your behaviors. Taking time to cool down after an argument is healthy, but shutting off communication for a long time, especially in order to control another person, is a form of abuse.
If someone displays unmanageable emotions and easily flies off the handle, this is a serious red flag. Responding with uncontrollable rage or the "silent treatment" could point to abusive (physical or emotional) behavior in the future, says Trombetti.
Narcissists may use the silent treatment to communicate they are unhappy with you, to control you, or as a form of punishment. If the narcissist uses the silent treatment to deflect responsibility for something they have done wrong, it can also be a form of narcissistic gaslighting.